Modern Mint quilt: a free tutorial

Join us in a summer quilt-along, with this beautiful Modern Mint quilt project from the oh-so-clever Lou Orth. This is a free quilting tutorial, so grab some fabric and get to your quilting stations! We’ll tell you all you need to know to piece simple half square triangle (HST) blocks and create a relaxing quilt with a calming colour palette and subtle movement.

Notes

Fractions: due to font issues on the blog, we can only display fractions as full size numbers – to make it clear for you, all fractions are displayed in bold. For example, 31/8 = three and one eighth, or 21/2 = two and a half

Make the half square triangles

Step four Take one white and one print 6½in square and place them RST. Sew a ¼in seam around all four sides.

Step five Cut across both diagonals from corner-to-corner to create four triangles.

Step six Open out the triangles and press, and then trim each HST to 3½in square, making sure the seam runs diagonally from corner to corner.

Step seven Repeat steps 4–6 for the remaining 6½in white and print squares. Keep the HSTs from the same print fabrics together.

How to piece the quilt top

Step eight Referring to the layout diagram below, arrange your HSTs and 3½in squares into eighteen rows of eighteen units each. The HSTs and print squares are arranged to create a star-like pattern, so take care with the orientation of the HSTs.

Modern Mint quilt layout

Step nine Join the units into rows and then join the rows to complete the quilt centre, which should measure 54½in square.

Step 10 Join three 3½in x WOF white strips end-to-end with straight seams and subcut to give two 54½in x 3½in strips. Join to the top and bottom of the quilt centre.

Step 11 Join three 3½in x WOF white strips end-to-end with straight seams and subcut to give two 3½in x 60½in strips. Join to each side of the quilt centre.

Quilting and finishing

Step 12 Make a quilt sandwich by placing the backing fabric right side down, the batting on top, then the quilt top centrally and right side up. The backing and batting are slightly larger than the quilt top. Baste the layers together using your preferred method.

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